Branches for a Ball Python?

Question

Hi,
I am going to get a ball python pretty soon and want to save some money. The branches at the pet store are like $12 each and to get two of them can be anywhere from 20-25 dollars. We recently cut down a tree by our house and had a lot of extra branches, I know the branches at the pet store are probably treated with something, is there anything I can do here at home to treat the branches? Anything I need to soak it in? Or is it better just to go ahead and buy them at the store?
And also, just some advice for a first time snake owner would be great. I know ball pythons are great for first timers. Just some facts would be great!!
Thanks : )

Answer 1

As the first responder indicated, it depends on the type of tree. Any wood with a real strong scent (like Pine) is bad. It's one of the reason aspen shavings are recommended over pine shavings. The volatile oils from pine and other strong-scented woods are a cause of respiratory problems for snakes.

The wood may be baked as also indicated but you should read up on doing this as it often requires about an hour of baking at a low temp to ensure you killed everything. Second, this assumes the branch fits in the oven in the first place. The alternative is a bleach solution.

Add about 5% - 10% bleach to bath tub filled with hot/warm water. Just enough to submerge the intended wood or most of it (rotate every once n again if needed). You only need about 10 - 20 minutes soaking depending if you need to rotate to completely submerge an awkward piece. But, afterward, you need to rinse well. Since wood absorbs water and what's in it, you'll need to let it soak in hot water another 10 or so. Swish it around to really be sure you're getting fresh water to wash away the odd stuff. Then drain and let dry completely (about a day). Bleach tends to evaporate from water rather rapidly and, if the water is gone, you can assume the bleach is too.

I found a very large piece of bark that came off of an old tree (about 3 ft long by 1 ft wide). I treated it as above, let dry two or three days to ensure it was truly dry, and then coated it with a low-odor polyurethane coating. I then let it dry/air out another week until there hadn't been any lingering odor detectable by me for a couple of days. I used this piece of wood for about 7 years for my red-tail boa. Every time I cleaned the tank I was able to just wipe it down with a mild bleach solution and re-wipe with a damp cloth. Or, if it was really dirty, like she hit it when she defecated, then I repeated the tub soak action and let dry completely before reinserting in her tank.

I've never had a ball but I have heard many great things about them for first timers such as great temperament and not too big (~6' max). The one downside that I've heard consistently is that they tend to go off feed which can be upsetting for first-timers. Essentially, this means the snake will just refuse food. It may be for 2 or 3 weeks, or a couple of months - often, when done, does the snake wait the same amount of time before wanting to eat again, leaving the person never quite sure. Even my boa did this on occasion. You just have to offer food about once a week (unfortunately meaning you'll be throwing some out if refused). But, once you get to know the snake's personality and habits, you'll likely be able to tell when it's getting hungry and is likely to eat again.

If your ball is a finicky eater, you may find that it may not eat pre-killed when you first get it home - depending on what the seller had been feeding. Most often, this can be easily changed with younger snakes. I'll leave the details for another question should this become an issue for you.

As for other specifics, I'll again refer to the first responders message and links. Read quite a few care sheets. You'll often find differences so go with the most common items between all, your own common sense, and your snake's desires. Red-tails are considered semi-arboreal. Mine never saw a branch in her tank as anything but an obstacle to go around while she was cruising around the bottom perimeter.

Answer 2

It depends on what kind of wood it is. You don't want anything with sap. And you need to wash it well and bake it in the oven to kill bacteria and parasites. I'd just buy one. You're going to have to invest in a large tank, under tank heat pad, aspen shaving, a feeding bin, hiding caves, water bowl for soaking/drinking, and frozen mice, so you are going to be spending quite a bit. I wouldn't skimp on safe cage branches.

http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/
http://www.ballpythonforum.com/forums/index.php?s=592174d57f067613130a119c5216a9f7&